In a limited cabinet reshuffle last week, Lt. Gen. Omer Hassan
Ahmed Al-Bashir removed Dr. Hussain Sulieman Abu Salih as Minister
of Foreign Affairs and was replaced by the regime's strong man
Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, who used to hold the position of Minister of
Social Planning.

Dr. Ghazi Salah el-Din, who was the Minister of Political Affairs
for the Presidency, was appointed as State Minister in the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs. Both men are leading members of the National
Islamic Front (NIF), the real force behind the regime in Sudan,
and are known for their extremist and hard-line views. This highly
unexpected appointment has raised many questions as to the intentions
of the Sudanese government in the face of its regional and
international isolation and its deteriorating relationships with
many of its neighbours. Many observers, however, expect that certain
bold decisions in foreign affairs will follow shortly.

Other appointments included Mohamed Osman Khalifa, who took over
the Ministry of Social Planning, and Badr El-Din Sulieman, a
long-serving minister and ally of former President Ja'afer Numeiry,
as Minister of Industry. As a member of the Transitional
National Assembly (TNA), Sulieman was an outspoken critic of the
government's economic policies. Mahdi Ibrahim, a well-known NIF
leader, is appointed Political Affairs Minister for the Presidency.

UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION DISCUSSES SUDAN

The UN Human Rights Commission's Special Rapporteur for Sudan,
Dr. Caspar Biro, had presented his report to the annual meeting of
the Commission in Geneva, on Tuesday 14 February 1995. He reported
that the human rights situation in Sudan was deteriorating, with
women and children most vulnerable to abuse. He said that grave and
widespread violations of human rights are committed by the
government agents, as well as by members of the different factions
of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA).

Dr. Biro, a Hungarian lawyer, was attacked by the Sudanese
authorities and was described as an "enemy of Islam" after his
damning report last year, and was banned from entering Sudan.
The Commission is expected to discuss and vote on the report.
The Sudanese government sent a large delegation to Geneva headed
by Abdel Aziz Shiddu, the Attorney General, while the Opposition
is represented by Dr. Amin Mekki Medani, the President of the
Sudan Human Rights Organisation.

It is worth noting that the UN General Assembly had voted on
Dr. Biro's report in December 1994, with 93 members FOR, 13 against
and 47 Abstentions. The countries that voted against the report are:
Cuba, China, Vietnam, Mianmar, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Sudan.

SUDAN MISSION TO THE UN UNDER SUSPICION

The U.S. federal prosecutors have placed the Sudanese mission to
the United Nations on a list of possible conspirators in the bombing
of New York's World Trade Centre in 1993.

A statement issued by the Sudanese Foreign Ministry denied the
charges and challenged the U.S. to provide evidence.
The statement also protested the ill-treatment of the five Sudanese
charged with involvement in the bombing. It claimed that the accused
were detained in isolation, prevented from praying in groups and
were forced to eat pork.

Earlier this year, the Sudanese Friendship Council in Khartoum,
had asked for donations to hire lawyers for the defence of those
accused of plotting terrorist attacks in the USA. One of the accused
Siddig Ali, however, is reported to have confessed. The Friendship
Council issued a statement denouncing him and accusing him of being
tempted by money to tell lies.

BASHIR ATTACKS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

In a public address in El-Gadaref town in Eastern Sudan last week,
and on the occasion of the graduation of 55,000 recruits for the
Popular Defence Forces (PDF), Lt. Gen. Omer Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashir
re-iterated his government's holding to the Islamic orientation and
the application of Shari'a laws. He said that Sudan wants to be a
model for all persecuted Muslims who are subjected to liquidation,
terror and torture. He said that "the banner we raised will not come
down because it is soaked with martyr's blood and there are millions
more who are ready to defend it". He attacked Amnesty International
which, he said, is launching a campaign against Sudan to abandon
Shari'a. He added that "this nation, with its many martyrs from the
young, the old and the elite, will retaliate firmly against all its
enemies and will never abandon God's Shari'a, whatever the cost.
We have a message and an orientation and all our lives belong to God."

AI launched its campaign on Sudan, which will continue for six
months, by issuing a 132-page report at the end of January 95. AI
accused both the government and the armed factions fighting in
Southern Sudan of committing a wide range of grave human rights
violations. The Organisation accused the Sudanese government of
trying to "fashion the Sudanese society according to its radical
interpretation of Islam".

The Sudanese government denied the allegations in a statement
issued by the Sudanese Embassy in London, and accused AI of using
unreliable sources of information.

On the other hand, the Secretary General of the Advisory Council
for Human Rights, Ahmed Al-Mufti, said that his Council had decided
to ban AI from visiting Sudan. He added that AI did not wait till
they visit the country, but issued their report which is based on
unfounded allegations and that the Organisation is targeting our
Islamic beliefs.

BAN ON IMPORTS LIFTED

The ban on importing certain goods, which included electrical
appliances and cars, had been lifted in January 95. In a statement
by the Minister of Trade, Dr. Taj El-Sir Mustafa, it is announced
that imports of all types of goods are now open. The only goods which
remain forbidden are alcoholic drinks, narcotics, gambling equipment,
firearms, ammunition, unlicensed explosives and SUGAR. (imports of
sugar are monopolised by the son of a top leader in the National
Islamic Front).

The Minister said that the objective is to help bring down prices
and to prevent further decline in the value of the Sudanese Pound
(S.P.) against the US dollar.

In a few days from this announcement, however, the value of the
dollar shot up from S.P. 480 to S.P. 520.

SEVERE FIGHTING REPORTED IN SOUTHERN SUDAN

Reports from Southern Sudan indicate that fierce fighting in
taking place between the government forces and the SPLA-main stream
led by John Garang, with both sides bearing heavy casualties.
The fighting is centered around Nimule and Maridi in Western Equatoria.
The flow of humanitarian relief aid had been stopped to those areas,
but aerial dropping of food supplies continue to other parts of the
South.

South Sudan Independence Army (SSIM), led by Riek Machar, had
declared last week that the Sudanese army had attacked their positions
using a river barge with UN markings. SSIM had previously agreed to
allow the UN World Food Organisation Program, to recover two rivers
sandals owned by the Sudan River Transport Department. The government
army seized on the opportunity to attack Machar's positions in Adok
in southern Upper Nile.

In a press conference in Nairobi on Friday 10 Feb., Machar announced
that he had ordered his field commanders to cease all hostilities
against Garang's forces, in a bid seeking "reconciliation and peace"
between the factions.

On another development, the remaining five aid workers, kidnapped
on 8 February from Wat in Upper Nile province by the forces of
commander Gordon Kwang Banbeni, had been released unharmed.
The kidnappers negotiated with the UN and demanded food supplies
and fuel in exchange. Banbeni was a commander with the SSIM, but
fell out with Machar, who put him under arrest, but was later
released. He is believed to be commanding his own militia now.

UNREST IN EL-FASHIR ARMY BASE

Due to the delay in payment of salaries and the withdrawal of
certain privileges, army officers and soldiers in the barracks in
El-Fashir, Headquarters for the Western Division, had protested
openly. It is reported that 135 officers and soldiers had been
arrested and were secretly flown, under chains and heavy guard,
to Khartoum. Their fate is not yet known.

EXECUTED FOR VISITING ISRAEL

Two Sudanese citizens, Nelson Nebio and Joseph Tomba, were
reported executed in Khartoum for visiting Israel. The two were
deported from Israel to Jordan, who handed them over to the
Sudanese authorities. The case was revealed by the legal advisor
to the Israeli Human Rights Committee, who is trying to block
the expulsion of 31 Iraqis to Jordan, who entered Israel and
demanded political asylum.

ECONOMIC POINTERS

[] The Minister of Finance, Abdalla Hassan Ahmed, declared, in a
statement to the Transitional National Assembly, that his
Ministry's efforts had succeeded in reducing the rate of
inflation to 85% and that the rate of growth of the Sudanese
economy is 8%.

[] The Minister of Finance told the TNA that the foreign debt
amounts to US $15.4 billion. The actual figure has been a source
of much guesswork. The World Bank had estimated the debt as
$9.7 billion in 1991.

[] Huge increases has been made to the cost of international
telephone calls from Sudan. The new tariff: S.P. 2,000 per
minute to the Arab countries and S.P. 3,000 per minute to
Europe and the U.S.

[] China has signed an agreement with Sudan to build five
factories for the production of electrical appliances, paper,
plastics and textiles. Another agreement has also been reached
between the two countries in which China will build six cargo
ships for Sudan Shipping Lines.

SHORT NEWS ITEMS

- Dr. Mahmoud Sharif, Chairman of the Board of the Sudan
Telecommunication Company (Sudatel), was reported killed in
Equatoria in Southern Sudan. Dr. Sharif, who also worked as
Chairman of the National Electricity Corporation and as
Lecturer at the Gezira University, volunteered with the
Popular Defence Forces (PDF) to fight the SPLA in Southern Sudan.
Vice President General Zubair Mohamed Salih had sent a letter
to the President Lt. Gen. Bashir congratulating him, and the
Sudanese people, on the martyrdom of Dr. Sharif.

- The Sudanese authorities refused to grant an entry visa for a
Belgian Catholic leader, Cardinal Godfried Danneels, to attend
an Episcopal conference in Southern Sudan on 11-14 Feb.95.
Khartoum had accused the Belgian Air Force of dropping arms
and ammunition in Southern Sudan on 15 January 1995, to be used
by the SPLA.

- 162 army officers had been dismissed in February 1995. They
included 49 Brigadiers, 24 Colonels, 32 Lt. Colonels, 35 Majors
and 22 Captains.

- The Ugandan government made an official complaint to the
Organisation of African Unity OAU and the UN against Sudan,
accusing it of bombing villages and of supporting Ugandan
rebels in Northern Uganda.

- The U.S. State Department had warned all American citizens not
to travel to Sudan; as the country is experiencing a civil war
and there is possibility of violence flaring up.

- A malaria medicine imported from China by an NIF businessman,
was found to be out of specs by the Pharmaceutical Department,
who demanded the drug be destroyed. The Ministry of Health
ignored the finding and continued using the drug.